More women & vulva-owners are using body and eco-friendly period products than ever before. Reusable period cups and pants are on the rise, and this blog post is dedicated to the OG: The Mooncup!
The Mooncup is a menstrual cup that collects flow rather than absorbing it. Period cups are reusable, so you just empty out the blood and pop the cup back in. As one cup can last for up to 10 years, you'll save a tonne of money, your vagina will be happier - and less used pads and tampons will end up in landfills.
Why use a Mooncup?
Excellent question! And here's the answer: Because using a Mooncup is better for you, for your budget and for the environment.
Tampons absorb a lot of natural secretions, which keeps the vagina moist and healthy (which is why vagina-owners can feel a bit dry and tender during periods). Most tampons are made from cotton treated with pesticides and bleached with chlorine, which is not healthy for the body.
Sanitary towels can feel bulky, uncomfortable and cause chafing. Also, the top weave is commonly made of plastic, which can cause allergic reactions in some. Their fibres, like most tampons, are also chlorine-bleached.
Sounds a bit gross, no?
Well, if you’re having periods, you’ll be either inserting and removing tampons or peeling blood-soaked pads off your pants... It’s no more "gross" than that. Inserting and removing a Mooncup just means the blood is pure.
But it's perfectly ok if period cups really don’t appeal - you’re not alone in thinking that. There are other safe alternatives to chemical-laden period products, such as organic tampons and reusable period pants. There are some really fabulous period pants available - check out these ones!
What’s so special about Mooncups?
Mooncups is made from silicone, so they're hypoallergenic, non-porous and reusable. Once you’ve bought a Mooncup, menstrual expenses are covered, and you can use what you save each month to spend on chocolate instead!
A Mooncup doesn’t absorb your natural secretions, meaning less irritation, and no deposits of fibres in your vagina. Plus, a cup holds up to three times as much fluid as a pad or tampon.
Menstrual cups are comfortable, and you can play sports when wearing one; you can sleep with it, swim with it… With proper care, a Mooncup will last for several years. Imagine the towels and tampons that you would be disposing of in landfill sites during those years!
What about leakage?
Provided you have inserted it properly, a Mooncup shouldn't leak. It holds up to three times more fluid than a pad or tampon and, when inserted correctly, the Mooncup forms a light seal using your vaginal walls.
The Mooncup will hold 30ml of fluid. That is about 1/3 of the average amount of menstrual blood a woman or vulva-owner loses each period. You’ll probably find you won’t need to empty a Mooncup anywhere as often as you replace pads or tampons.
I'm still worried about leaking
Use a thin pad, panty liner or a pair of period pants until you get used to your Mooncup and feel more confident about its holding powers.
Get the right size
- Regular Mooncup measures 46mm in diameter and is recommended for those who are 30 and over, and all who have given birth vaginally regardless of age.
- Small Mooncup measures 43mm in diameter and is recommended for those under the age of 30 who have not given birth vaginally
Both sizes are 50mm in length with a pull stem 21mm long.
How to insert a Mooncup
Using a period cup is quick and easy once you get the hang of it. Here's a video of how to use it.
How to remove a Mooncup without spilling
To remove amenstrual cup, you can do one of two things:
- Slide your finger alongside the cup to the rim and gently push to break the seal.
- Grasp the bottom of the cup between your fingers and gently pull to release.
Make sure you remove slowly and gently in a side to side motion ensuring all liquid stays in the cup (we have heard of a few “flicking” incidents).
Empty the contents down the toilet, then reinsert. You can wipe it with tissue or, if you can get to a tap, give it a rinse if you want, but it’s not necessary. Just make sure the holes around the rim aren’t blocked – tissue and a squeeze fixes that – and you’re good to go!
That doesn’t sound very sterile...
No, it isn't, but towels and tampons are not sterile either. Just emptying and reinserting will do you no harm.
How to clean a Mooncup
Always take a few minutes to read the guide that comes with your menstrual cup, as some brands recommend different things. If the cup is made from silicone, like the Mooncup, it can be soaked in sterilizing solution (used to clean baby bottles) or boiled in a pan of water for 3-5 minutes. Easy-peasy!
Isn’t the stalk uncomfortable?
The stalk on the bottom of the Mooncup can be trimmed once you know how to remove the cup. Most users tend to cut the tail off once they get used to using their period cup.
Can you have sex when wearing a Mooncup?
You can’t have penetrative sex with the cup in place, but you can have other kinds of sex! The Mooncup sits low in the vagina – just at the entrance – leaving no room for a penis or dildo. Take a look at tampons for sex if you desire penetration during your flow.
Hmmm… But disposable products are so convenient!
Indeed they are. And expensive. And coated in needless chemicals. And dumped on landfill sites.
The average woman or vulva-owner uses at least 10,000 pads or tampons in their lifetime. That’s a lot of money that could be used for more pleasurable products. We’re not here to lay down the law about what you use for your monthlies. We just want you to know you have options xx
